


Falling Below

by lln



Category: 9-1-1: Lone Star (TV 2020)
Genre: Gen, Hurt TK, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, worried judd ryder
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-13
Updated: 2020-02-13
Packaged: 2021-02-28 03:08:34
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,783
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22696879
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lln/pseuds/lln
Summary: TK is injured on a call out, it's up to the team to get him out.
Relationships: Carlos Reyes (9-1-1 Lone Star)/TK Strand
Comments: 11
Kudos: 434





	Falling Below

Judd couldn’t believe it. It all happened so quickly.

One moment the kid had been behind him, carrying a young girl in his arms and reassuring her that she was going to see her mum really soon. The next moment the house shook and TK stumbled backwards into a damaged banister. The banister, old from age and fire damage gave way, causing T.K and the girl to fall down to the main floor. An ominous creak sounded throughout the room and the damaged floor collapsed from beneath the weight of both of them. TK and the girl disappeared into the basement below with a yelp.

Seconds later, a dull thud echoed up.

Judd could only blink at the empty space behind him, he had froze.

The moment he heard TK stumble backwards, he froze.

Judd had been too slow to reach an arm out and grabbed a hold of the kid. His hand now only reaching out to grasp at thin air.

“Kid!” He yelled down, “TK! Alice! Are you okay?!”

There was a moment of complete silence, Judd could feel his heart thudding painfully in his chest as he waited. He couldn’t lose another brother, not again.

“He won’t wake up!” The girl, Alice, tearfully yelled back.

Judd could feel some of the tension leave his body.

“That’s okay Alice. Is TK breathing, can you tell me that?”

Judd could hear Alice moving around below.

“Yes, he is!”

“Are you hurt at all Alice?”

“Um, just my ankle.”

“Can you tell me if TK is hurt?”

“There’s some blood, but I don’t know where it’s coming from.”

“Okay, Alice stay where you are, don’t move. I’ll be down as soon as I can, to get you out.”

Judd reached for his radio, “Ryder to Captain Strand, do you copy?”

“Talk to me Judd,” Owen’s voice crackled through the radio, Judd could hear the worry in his voice, “You two were just doing a last sweep. You should have been cleared and out by now. What’s happening in there?”

“We had a mishap Cap,” Judd grimaced as he answered, “TK fell through the floor, I’m going to need medical ready for when we come out. I’ve got two injured, so if possible can you send one of the others in to help with extraction?”

There was silence on the other end of the radio, Judd could only wait for Owen’s answer.

“Okay Judd,” The radio crackled to life again, “Paul and Mateo are coming to your location with a backboard. Sit tight, they won’t be long.”

“Okay Cap,” Judd replied, before whispering to himself, “Not much else _I_ can do.”

\----

It was at least 10 minutes before Paul and Mateo made their way to Judd and then another 10 minutes for the three of them to safely make it to the basement. The whole time Judd continued to talk and comfort the upset Alice.

“Hey Alice,” Judd smiled at the girl once they had reached her, “Thanks for looking after TK for me. My friend Mateo here is going to take you up to your mother. Are you okay with him picking you up?”

Alice rubbed the tears from her eyes and nodded, “I want my mummy.”

“And Mateo is going to bring you right to her,” Judd smiled.

Mateo smiled at the small girl as she lifted her arms, waiting for Mateo to pick her up and get her to safety. The youngest firefighter carefully scooped her up and started to make his way out of the basement.

Judd and Paul watched Mateo disappear, before they turned their gaze to their fallen brother. TK was still unconscious, their arrival hadn’t roused him at all. He was very pale with blood was oozing and pooling underneath his head. They needed to work quickly to get TK out and to a hospital.

“Okay,” Paul started, “We need to get the neck brace on him and him onto the backboard before we can move him.”

“I know, I know.”

Between the two of them, they managed to secure the brace and strap TK down to the backboard. Still TK didn’t wake, Judd really began to worry.

“How is the way out?” Judd asked, as he squatted down and gripped one end of the backboard, “We going to have a clear line to the paramedics?”

“Captain’s clearing the entrance with Marjan and the paramedics. He’ll probably have Mateo help out too, once he gets up there,” Paul answered, gripped the other end of the backboard. “Ready?”

Judd nodded.

“3, 2, 1. Lift.”

They moved together with purpose, heading towards to remarkably intact basement stairs. Their journey to the main level was slow, but they managed to get there without any problems. As they got close to the top of the stairs, TK let out a pained moan.

“Can’t m’ve.” TK slurred and tried to move against the restraints holding him to the backboard.

“Kid,” Judd sighed in relief, “Don’t move.”

“Wat ha’ened?”

“You fell through the floor,” Paul supplied, “We’re nearly out now.”

“Al’ce?” TK asked.

“She’s fine,” Judd reassured the younger man, “Looks like she hurt her ankle, but you broke her fall and took most of the impact.”

“’kay.” TK mumbled.

The rest of the journey to the entrance was done in silence, only TK’s wheezing breath could be heard. The three firefighters finally broke through the cleared entrance way, a worried Owen meeting them just outside the door. Michelle and her team also standing close by with a stretcher ready and waiting for TK.

“TK! Judd!” Owen called out, “Tell me he’s okay.”

Paul and Judd transferred TK to the stretcher, as Michelle and her team got to work. Rolling the stretcher towards the ambulance, TK moaned in pain as Michelle assessed his pupil response with her penlight.

“He did regain consciousness on the way up Cap,” Judd told the group, “He didn’t quite remember the fall, but he did remember what we were doing before that.”

Owen rested a hand on both Judd and Paul’s shoulders and squeezed, “Thank you both for getting my boy back to me.”

“No problem Cap.”

“Yeah Captain,” Paul smiled, “No problem.”

“We’re going to get him and Alice to the hospital now,” Michelle called out, securing TK into the back of the ambulance, “Are you riding along Owen or will you meet us there?”

“I’m coming with you,” Owen frowned, as if he would do anything else, “Judd are you okay to hold the fort and finishing up here for me?”

“’Course Cap,” Judd reassured him, “Go be with your boy.”

“Thanks Judd,” Owen smiled in relief.

\----

“So what’s the verdict doctor?” Owen asked as he stood next to TK’s hospital bed, gripping his shoulder lightly, “How badly are we talking?”

TK blinked at the doctor, “How long am I going to be off work for?”

“Well,” The doctor looked down at his clipboard and adjusted his glasses, “You’ve suffered a couple of cracked ribs, a mild concussion and 10 stitches for the laceration on the back of your head. I’m going to write you up for a minimum of two weeks off and you’ll need to come back in a week’s time to have the stiches removed.”

“And can I go home when?”

“You’re going to be kept overnight for observation, just because of the concussion, but other than that I’m happy for you to go home tomorrow morning. Doing have someone that can take you home?”

“Yeah,” TK nodded, “Dad will do it, right?”

“Of course, son.”

“Or I’m sure Carlos can do it, if something comes up.”

“That’s good, it’s good that you’ve got a people looking at for you,” The doctor smiled, “Now, I’ve written a prescription for the pain medication you can take. I’ll take my leave now, but I will see you before you’re released tomorrow.”

“Thank you doctor,” Owen shook his hand, “We’ll see you tomorrow.”

“Thank you doctor,” TK smiled.

Once the doctor had left, Owen pulled a chair over to the side of TK’s bed and sat down.

“You scared the crap out of me today TK,” Owen reached over and took his son’s hand.

“Didn’t mean to, dad.”

“I know son. Doesn’t mean I wasn’t scared.”

TK squeezed Owen’s hand, “Are you really going to be able to get me tomorrow? I don’t want to spend any longer than I have to in here.”

“Barring hell freezing over, I’ll be here bright and early to get you out of here.”

“Thanks dad,” TK smiled, then he frowned in thought “Did anyone contact Carlos?”

“Yes son,” Owen sighed, “I gave him a call when the doctor was treating you.”

All of a sudden, TK could feel the results of the day catching up with him. His ribs and back throbbed and he could feel a headache starting to form. TK could feel his eyes growing heavier as he struggled to stay awake.

“Don’t worry son, go to sleep. I’ll be here all night.” Owen pulled the covers up to TK’s chest and tucked him in.

“’kay Dad. ‘Night,” TK felt himself drift off into darkness.

“Good night, son.”

\----

TK woke with a pained groan, he pressed a hand to his rib to ease the pain.

“Sleeping Beauty’s finally awake, I see.”

TK frowned, that didn’t sound like his dad. Easing his eyes open, TK gasped when he saw that Carlos was sitting in the chair that his dad had been occupying the night before.

“Carlos?” TK was confused, “Where’s my dad?”

Carlos took a hold of TK’s hand and squeezed it, “There was a 10 car pileup on the highway, a school bus was involved, he was desperately needed, apparently.”

“Oh.”

“Yeah. He’s really sorry that he had to go,” Carlos rubbed his thumb against the back of TK’s hand in comfort, “But luckily for you, I’ve got the next few days off to spend with you and play nurse.”

“Does that mean, you’re getting me out of here?”

“Of course, babe.” Carlos pressed a kiss to the back of TK’s hand, “When do you want to leave?”

“How’s now sound?” TK squeezed Carlos’ hand and smiled at his boyfriend, “I want to get out of here with you.”

“Sounds like a plan, tiger. Let me find out who we have to talk to and what we have to do to get you out of here.”

TK smiled to himself as he watched Carlos leave to find the doctor. While he was a bit sad that his dad wasn’t here, Carlos was the next best thing and with Carlos having the next days off, TK knew that he was going to be in good hands.

**TBC . . .**

**Author's Note:**

> First time writing for these characters, so constructive criticism is always welcome. For some reason I love seeing my favourite characters hurt, so you should expect more of hurt TK in the future.
> 
> I'm also posting my fics to my tumblr, **[llnwritings](https://llnwritings.tumblr.com/)** , so come and leave me some prompts if you want


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